International Journal on Recent and Innovation Trends in Computing and Communication

Volume: 2 Issue: 5

ISSN: 2321-8169
1249 1251

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Need of Skill-Based Training in Computer Science Education

Srinivas Aluvala

Nagendar Yamsani

Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering

SR Engineering College
Warangal, India
srinu_aluvala@yahoo.com

Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering

SR Engineering College
Warangal, India
nagendar.yamsani@gmail.com

Abstract Computer Science is one of the fast growing fields compared with many other undergraduate and post-graduate
programs. Today, most of the educators in the field of computer science education and teaching have been in the approach of
recommending redesigning the curriculum and restructuring the UG and PG studies of Computer Science according to skill-based
training and learning approach. However, the issues related in defining the objectives and assess outcomes in this Skill-Based
Approach (SBA) is challenging among the computer science teachers who are not basically trained in techniques for setting up
objectives and evaluating the results. This paper serves as a brief introduction of SBA and how it can be practiced from the
program design perspective. In this paper, my experience of initial attempt in designing and developing computer science studies
using SBA will be shared. Based on the SBA paradigm, I evaluate teaching impact, effectiveness and student learning outcomes
based on the teaching assessment results and their success. Through deeper understanding and learning, Skill-Based Approach
education can bring a drastic change and will have a great impact on students and prepare them for both exciting career and
successful lead in the computing world.
Keywords- Skill-Based Approach; teaching evaluation; under graduate; post-graduate; computer science; curriculum;

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I.

INTRODUCTION

This Skill-Based Approach education in the present day

scenario has become a major focus in training and learning
enhancement for many fields of education. From the past few
years, some of the deemed universities and autonomous
educational organizations have stressing the importance of
emerging the skill-based framework in both design of
curriculums and teaching pedagogy. Yet, the concept of SkillBased Approach (SBA) teaching and learning can be traced
back to an early stage of education evolution. Skill-based
computer science education seems to be a new concept in the
teaching and learning approach.
In the costumed way of imparting the computer science
subject, both theoretical and practical contents are driven by the
new and latest technology in industries day by day. A course of
program in Computer Science studies about computer
programming is all about teaching students what a computer
programming language is, for example C, C++, JAVA, Dot
Net, or any other programming language can do and perform. It
is very rare to have a tight relationship with what a student is
expected to gain at the end of degree. A question is that, should
the educators simply impart the related topics to students so
that the students know only how to write the programs of the
curriculum. Or expect the students to be able to create a real
time system with multiple commands? Perhaps the students can
complete course with high grade or percentage of marks
because of just simply knowing the commands, but not able to
know how to manage set of commands to create a system of an
executable program to get a solution for a specific task. Unless,
in teaching and training of the student, the outcomes of the
course and the program are presented precisely to the students,
the entire course can become unworthy. And what is taught
plays no meaning if a certain ability of students is not expected
at the beginning and end. That is the reason; the Skill-Based
Approach is to be brought into view and to be introduced to
every educator, particularly in the field of computer science

engineering and computer applications at degree and PG level

programs.
At our colleges, students usually come from different
environments and academic backgrounds. Even with the
enrolled students at our colleges in computer studies, no
prerequisite requirements are expected. Students who already
studied computer science at any level should be again trained
and taught from the basics, so as to prepare them for higher
studies. At the same time when our degree and PG programs
targets on industrial oriented approach, the method of teaching
and learning needs to have precise objectives both for the
teachers and students. To guarantee that students achieve
certain skills. At the degree and PG level computer science
programs curriculum design needs to be as specific as possible
so that the objectives of the program are reached. With this
approach of Skill Based Approach it could be easier to reach
out the objectives and lead in the development of
interdisciplinary courses of computer science engineering and
applications.
II.

MOTIVES

First, in computer science engineering or in general studies

of computer applications, SBA did not exist till now in
curriculums. SBA is a teaching and learning methodology
which focuses on what students are expected to learn and how
it becomes measurable through assessment.
At the inception two major tasks are the vital components in
this SBT (skill based training) of SBA. The first focuses on
what students will be expected to be able to do after completing
the course of a program. In curriculum design of the program, a
set of outcomes are required to be mapped to all the courses
under the program. After knowing what the curriculum expects,
next is to focus on the preparation of the learning outcomes.
Blooms taxonomy of the cognitive domain frame work is
widely used in the design and assessment of courses. Yet, this
system is found not suitable in computer science engineering
education. Because of different reasons compared with other
fields of education.
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International Journal on Recent and Innovation Trends in Computing and Communication

Volume: 2 Issue: 5

ISSN: 2321-8169
1249 1251

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Once it is over, the next important task is to state how the
students will learn it, or the teaching and learning activities,
which leads to the assessment procedures as managing learning
outcomes. The assessment using SBA can offer some
meaningful feedback to the teachers regarding students
achievement, achievement and the quality of the instruction.
Surprisingly today most of the teachers follow time saving
normal referenced assessment. Students were also encouraged
to perform traditional learning methods; most of the teachers in
teaching computer science may not adopt this SBA. The
effectiveness of this approach may not be known at the moment
of usage. Despite of the immaturity of SBA, a promising future
is shortly to be realized. I strongly believe that it is a true
education when the teachers turn teaching to a student centric
approach imparting more skills in the fields.
III.

SKILL-BASED APPROACH CURRICULUM

A.

SBA Framework
SBA is an approach to design curriculum where teaching
and learning mainly focus on the expectation of students after
their completion of the degree, what they are expected to do,
rather than what the teacher expects to teach. The objective of
curriculum is shifted to the student centric approach, under the
SBA framework, the assessment leads to a Criteria Referenced
Assessment (CRA) based practically instead of normal
referenced assessment. CRA concentrates on the expectation of
students learning skills they should have to obtain a degree.
B. SBA Curriculum Design Example
Engineering or any PG program in computer science is to
be designed as a job oriented approach so that students are
expected to learn skills which are essential to their future jobs.
For example if a student wants to become a software
developer they should be able to write programs for the real
time problems using different programming languages at the
end of completion of the degree. For any program at the
beginning it should clearly specify the learning outcomes and
objectives of the program. For example:
i) Focus on Objectives: Any degree in computer science
program to be designed to meet the following.

To incept and develop students ability in programming,

designing systems and developing logics.
Provide an environment to increase students capability
and confidence for independent thought and creativity.
ii) Objectives of curriculum are:

Provide students with the knowledge and techniques to

effectively design and manage software and hardware
projects, and to be able to aim a career in related field.
Students need to undergo a professional training so that
they may acquire the ability to adapt to different
development working environments in the industry.
Provide students with the sound basic knowledge with
logical thinking for further technical and career
development and qualification to enable them to go for
higher qualifications, locally or abroad.
Promote students capabilities in communications, social
awareness and moral responsibilities. In addition, to this
there are more objectives that are relevant, a graduate or a
postgraduate should acquire knowledge and skills in

computer programming, networking, security, operations

and management.
iii) Course Components:
Sound fundamental, programming concepts, elementary
data structures, design and analysis of algorithm, systems
analysis, software development process, information
management and discrete mathematics to be taught. With the
introduction of all the key basic building blocks should be
imported at the inception of every course study, along with
emphasis shifting from fundamentals to a professional
perspective and to industry standards. Software development
and management is to be taught in order to introduce students
to development life circle, and all so be trained to document the
design and coding.
In course of program students need to study more advance
units of programming, software development concepts and
techniques. At the end of the course, students should acquire
software techniques for developing network applications and
data base systems. Advanced subjects such as artificial
intelligence systems, object-oriented analysis and design,
advanced pattern matching and human computer interface are
intended to strengthen students in logical programming
techniques.
Prior to acquiring graduation or post graduation degree,
students need to be assigned with two or more projects to
gauge the overall culmination of knowledge of programming ,
understanding, and technical skills that they have acquired
during the course study of a program. At end students should
be capable of analyzing, design, code, test, and document and
present a software project with their level of competence and to
industry standard.
iv) Teaching & Learning Activities:
During the course of a program, I emphasize that lectures,
seminars, guest talks, case studies and projects need to be
provided to students so that they are bestowed with the
opportunities to learn from real time examples. This helps them
to practice on their own and develop working software
applications. Students need to be encouraged to think
independently and apply their thoughts in accomplishing
specific real time problems. To achieve this, students need to
be encouraged to adopt and active knowledge seeking attitude
and to increase and strengthen their own confidence and ability
to communicate and work with the team.
Based on the nature of the subjects, all or some of the
different training and learning approaches like lectures,
tutorials, seminars, guest talks, industry experts interaction,
case studies and project developing exercises can be employed.
During this students will be encouraged to raise queries on the
subject matter and participates in short discussions. Lectures
are to introduce and explain concepts, demonstrate how to
illustrate and analyze an issue. Develop students capability to
think independently. Case study (i.e. the case analysis of an
application) enables the students to examine, analyze and solve
problems of the real world and practical problems of the
industry. Guest talks and industry experts may be invited to
interact with the students to share their up-to date technical
knowledge. Students are encouraged and well supported to
carry out self projects and team works to apply the knowledge
they gained from the learning process. Problem solving skills
are developed by applying a range of techniques and ideas in
handing real world problems. All the above training and
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IJRITCC | May 2014, Available @ http://www.ijritcc.org

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International Journal on Recent and Innovation Trends in Computing and Communication

Volume: 2 Issue: 5

ISSN: 2321-8169
1249 1251

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
learning approaches will create a learning environment in
which students play an active vital role.
C. Courses and Program Assessment System
At program level, the SBA suggests that all the course
learning out comes should point to the objective outcomes of
the course of a program. At this level the difficulties may be
facing is whether the program learning outcomes can be met by
all the courses of a specific program. Basic idea is to make use
of system application software called Program and Courses
Outcomes System (PACOS) developed by a group of research
students at the Hong Kong University of Science and
Technology. It is a free open source web based system; it was
designed to access and amend course result mappings of the
programs.
IV.

LEARNING OUTCOMES AND MEASUREMENTS

The objective in SBA training and learning is to transfer the

paradigm from teachers centered approach to student centered
approach. That means, learning outcomes are to reflect what
students are expected to gain and able to do at the end of the
course of a program.
The technique of bringing out the effective learning
outcomes depends on the right verbs used in the statements;
Blooms taxonomy is commonly used for defining learning
outcomes, which give the benefits of its ready-made structure
and list of verbs. The verbs in Blooms taxonomy are
measurable. For example, one of the learning outcomes in a
course can be, Upon the completion of the course, students
should be able to develop a group project of a real time
application system. A good quality assessment activity can be
to a group project approach. If a group of students can work
together to develop a system, then we can confirm that the
students have achieved the one of the learning outcomes.
Further, individual evaluations can confirm if each of the
students have made an appropriate contribution to the project.
A poor example of learning outcomes can be, Upon the
completion of the course, students will be able to know only
the commands of a programming language, when can be used
for the developing of the system. In such case, the student
assessment is difficult to measure. In other words, the
understanding of knowledge cannot be reflected by any mean
as a student can simply respond with a feedback at the end.
Table I
Knowledge-Based Systems (Blooms Taxonomy).
Aims

Learning Outcomes

Create
Evaluate
Analyze
Apply
Understand
Remember

Compose, construct.
Prioritize, justify.
Identify, categorize.
Use, solve.
Predict, outline.
Write, tell, list.

V.

based approach framework can enhance teaching and learning

in overall performance among the program of study.
SBA is indeed going to be a promising direction in our
education system such that student outcomes are to become a
driving force and motivation of teaching and learning. I believe
that our students will continue to be trained and become
potential future leaders of the industry.
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CONCLUSION

It creates a better training and learning and environment

where all the activities can reflect the worthiness of the skills
the students acquired. Assessment of the training and learning
outcomes becomes very precise, because students know what
they need to learn and do upon the completion of the degree.
Students feel their progress in developing intellectual skills
through the course as the outcomes and objectives are clearly
stated in the course syllabus. It offers an intuition that the skill1251
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